The Best Laid Plans
by Felis
Summary: The story behind "The Prank." They were all in on it! Implied SB/RL slash.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: These characters and the world they inhabit are the creation of JK Rowling. I merely borrow them for my own amusement. The idea for this fic came from a posting by Pippin 999 on the "HP for Grown-Ups" group on Yahoo.  
  
Note: Implied SB/RL slash. R for language.  
  
The Best Laid Plans  
  
Absently chewing his fingernails, Peter Pettigrew waited nervously for his friends. What was taking them so long? Quidditch practice should have ended a long time ago. The blond boy's anxiety ratcheted up a few notches.  
  
A peal of laughter reverberated around the corner and down the stone hallway, followed by James Potter's voice raised in exasperated denial. "Sirius, I did no such thing and you know it!" More laughter.  
  
Peter bolted from his hiding place and shot down the corridor to meet his friends. "Hey, Peter," Sirius Black's cheerful voice greeted him. "You should have come to watch practice. James made a complete ass of himself." James cuffed the side of his best friend's head.  
  
"Listen to me," Peter blurted out. He stood rigidly in front of them, his smaller stature taking on a surprisingly commanding air. It grabbed everyone's attention.  
  
"What's up?" James asked cautiously.  
  
Peter jerked his head towards an empty classroom, and the four boys filed in. His agitation obvious, Peter spoke. "While you guys were at practice, I went to Flitwick's office to hand in that extra credit scroll. On my way back, I went up the staircase near the Charms classroom. Just before I got to the top I heard Snape talking to someone. I heard him say 'Lupin's hiding a very big secret and I think I know what it is.' And then he said he'd have proof in less than a week."  
  
James snapped, "What!?" Sirius hissed in a deep breath. Remus made no sound but went absolutely still.  
  
Peter continued. "So, I transformed, slipped around the corner and hid behind that statue of Agrippa. Snape was talking to Avery and Lestrange. They wanted him to tell them what he knew, but all he said was that he'd noticed things about Remus and had done some research. And, now he's ready to get final proof and that will be enough to get Remus expelled, and maybe us, too."  
  
"That bastard!" Sirius snarled. "If he tries anything I'll-"  
  
They all started talking at once. Sirius fumed, James sputtered and Peter fretted. Remus said nothing. He moved to the window, his back to his friends. Sirius immediately went silent and crossed the room to him. His arm curved protectively around Remus' shoulders. "We'll figure something out. Snape may think he knows, but he's not completely sure or he'd be yelling it from the top of the Astronomy Tower. We'll stop that prick, Remus, and make sure he backs down for good."  
  
Remus leaned into Sirius' chest, his eyes cast down. Sirius placed a gentle kiss on Remus' temple. "I promise you."  
  
"Right," Peter piped up. "We've gotten the best of Snape and his foul friends before. We'll outwit them again."  
  
"All we need is a plan." James mused, his dark blue eyes focused on something far away. They could practically hear the wheels whirring in his brain.  
  
They headed silently back towards the Gryffindor common room. Halfway there, Sirius blurted out, "Wait a minute!" He skidded to a halt, causing them all to jostle and bump into each other. He looked sternly at each of them in turn. "We can't mope and creep around like a bunch of whipped dogs. We're going to figure something out, and until we do, we act as normal as possible. No Slytherin is going to make us run scared, right?"  
  
James and Peter grinned their agreement. "Right!"  
  
Remus couldn't help but smile at them. If Sirius proposed jumping off the roof, James would go along with him, offering refinements to the jump to avoid getting killed. But, he'd jump anyway, if only out of loyalty to the friend he had known all his life. Peter would join them in the jump because he always trusted that, even if James and Sirius had no clue of what they were doing, they'd still find a way to make it work.  
  
So the boys hid their worry and, to outward appearances, nothing seemed wrong. However, Remus couldn't ignore the cold stone in the pit of his stomach. For the next few nights, as the four came no closer to figuring out a plan, it took Remus a long time to fall asleep, even with Sirius' comforting form nestled next to him.  
  
Sleep provided no escape from his worries. His dreams were filled with blood. Moony broke free past all restraints and, maddened by his lust for human flesh, relentlessly chased down his prey. His slashing teeth sliced into the back of a leg, bringing down the person who tried fruitlessly to outrun him. The blood flowed into his slavering jaws and, with savage delight, Moony tore great hunks of meat from the twisting, shrieking victim.  
  
Bones cracked, guts spilled as the wolf began feeding while his prey still lived, still squirmed helplessly to escape him. Agonized screams filled the air. Moony wrestled the human over and howled in triumph. He watched the blood flow freely into the thick, black hair until the light of life faded from the blue-gray eyes.  
  
Remus' snapped to wakefulness. He hadn't had that nightmare in a long time. Now it was back, disturbing him deeply. Quietly, he rose from the bed, wrapped himself in a bathrobe and headed for the common room. He stared into the fire while he tried to smother the fear that his world was about to crumble. Then, his sharp ears caught the sound of footsteps.  
  
Sirius appeared, charmingly sleep-tousled. The foggy look in his eyes dissipated, like early morning haze driven off by the rising sun. "Did you sleep at all or have you been lying awake, worrying about Snape?"  
  
Remus briefly considered lying, but he didn't have the energy to do it convincingly. He'd only end up as the target for Sirius' relentless questioning. His lover knew him very well. It was an oddly comforting thought.  
  
"I slept, but not well."  
  
Sirius came to sit next to him, gathering both of Remus' cold hands into his warm grasp.  
  
"Put it out of your mind, Remus. We'll sort Snape, and this will all be over."  
  
With a flash of clarity as hard and brilliant as a diamond, Remus realized how naïve Sirius' assurances were. Some of his feelings showed on his face, as Sirius stared hard at him. "What are you thinking, Re?"  
  
Remus sighed. "This is my life, Sirius. This is what I'll have to deal with, for the rest of my life. I'll always worry that someone will figure it out. And every time someone does, then that will be one more person who can tell other people I'm a werewolf. Even now, I'm not safe. At any moment, Snape can start whispering his suspicions and everyone will know. And, if not him, then someone else could say something and-"  
  
"Stop! You're in your sixth year and there's never been a hint that anyone knows. Except us, but we live with you. We'd have to have been thick as planks not to figure it out."  
  
"You don't understand." Remus whined in frustration, something he rarely did. That fact alone was enough to increase Sirius' concern. "My greatest fear is that I'll kill someone I love. My next greatest fear is that I'll bite someone and sentence them to this curse. And my third greatest fear is that people will find out about me. That I'll find happiness and acceptance and then I'll be driven away, because people will discover I'm a beast. A monster."  
  
Sirius drew breath to remonstrate, but Remus held up a silencing hand. "Don't, Sirius. Don't. I know what you're going to say. And you're wrong. In the eyes of the law, in the opinion of the whole world, I'm not human. And, no matter how much you love me, you can't change that."  
  
Loss of words was not an affliction that Sirius Black often suffered. But this time Remus stopped him cold. He had nothing to say to refute his lover's bleak thoughts. And it shamed him. Sirius possessed endless exuberance and boundless enthusiasm. He had absolute faith in their collective cleverness to solve any problem. Well, that was child's play; games and fantasies.  
  
With a sinking desperation, Sirius felt he'd never grow up. He'd never be as mature as Remus already was. It had never mattered to him that Remus was a werewolf. In Sirius' eyes, it was an accident, outside of Remus' control, the same way that Sirius felt his own good looks were merely the result of a genetic gamble. In the long run, neither mattered. Except, as he was beginning to understand, it was so much more profound than that. But, being the determined person he was, Sirius would not give up.  
  
And, the depth of Sirius' devotion was something Remus was beginning to see in a new light. He watched Sirius marshal his thoughts carefully. With a solemn tone Sirius finally spoke. "I can't know how hard this is for you. But, remember, when you came here, you didn't think you'd ever have any friends. And now you have a lot of them, including three who know your secret. Plus, name one professor who doesn't adore you. And they all know your secret, too. Maybe they worried about having a werewolf at Hogwarts when you first arrived. I don't know. But, I bet you any amount of money that they don't even think about it anymore. You're a smart, dedicated student and they love teaching you." He sighed. "All I'm saying is that, in spite of the fear people have about werewolves, some of them will always accept you. And love you."  
  
Remus still felt that he was climbing a huge, treacherous mountain in the dark, trying to avoid the deadly cliffs and icy crevasses that suddenly yawned at his feet. But, now he felt he wasn't climbing alone. It didn't lessen the danger, but it made it easier to bear. He reached out to run his fingers through Sirius' silky, black locks.  
  
"You're with me, no matter what, aren't you?" It was more statement than question.  
  
"Yeah. You're stuck with me, Moony." Sirius pulled Remus closer and kissed him. "It's late, love. Come back to bed."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
As the full moon approached, the four friends developed and discarded plan after plan in their increasingly frenzied effort to thwart Snape. All of them tried to ignore their rising desperation.  
  
Finally one evening, as they gathered in their dorm room for another brain- storming session, James paced energetically back and forth. The others left him alone, seeing the tell-tale look on his face that said he was hot on the trail of an idea and needed some time to think about it. He stopped suddenly, a calculating look in his blue eyes. "We've been thinking about how to keep Snape away from Remus. That's a mistake."  
  
The others looked at him as if he'd started speaking gibberish.  
  
"Think about it." James urged. "We've been trying to do exactly that for years and he always slithers back. What we've got to do is get him to do something so awful to us that *he'll* be in danger of being expelled. Then, we make a deal with Dumbledore. Convince Dumbledore that Snape knows about Remus and will tell the whole world if he's expelled. We persuade Dumbledore to allow Snape to stay, but only on the condition that he keeps quiet about Remus."  
  
Silence settled like a blanket around them as they mulled this over. Finally, Peter spoke up. "What do we get him to do? Use an Unforgivable Curse on someone?"  
  
Sirius grinned coldly. "I'm sure he'd love to Crucio me and it would be worth the pain to protect Remus."  
  
The direction their comments were taking started to alarm Remus. "An Unforgivable is too much. He'd be sent to Azkaban."  
  
"So what?" James interjected unsympathetically. "Do you think he wouldn't love to see *you* hauled off there?"  
  
Remus shook his head. "You're missing my point. Using an Unforgivable might put it out of Dumbledore's hands and into the Ministry of Magic's. Snape would still be able to destroy me. Besides, he's too subtle. He won't imperil himself. This won't work."  
  
Sirius had sat staring at Remus as he spoke. His posture slowly straightened and his eyes took on a hard glint. "You're right, James. Keeping Snape away won't work. And you're right, too, Remus. Putting all the onus on Snape won't enforce his silence. What we have to do," he paused, looking at each of them in turn, "is make sure he finds Moony."  
  
Remus' stomach dropped to the floor. "You want to expose me?! What's wrong with you?"  
  
Sirius held up his hand. "Just listen. On the next full moon, I tell Snape how to get past the Willow. I'll challenge him somehow so he'll feel compelled to go in. He'll start creeping through the tunnel. Then, James and Peter go into action. Peter runs to Dumbledore, telling him that I sent Snape into the tunnel in a fit of anger. James follows Snape, who by this time is close enough to the Shack to hear Moony. He'll be terrified. And, even if he's not, James can make a lot of noise, warning him of his danger. Moony will hear the commotion and will start howling like crazy, wanting to get at them. James hauls Snape out, 'rescues' Snape from the werewolf. I'm waiting outside the Willow. Peter and Dumbledore show up. I'm now in deep trouble, but my excuse is that I was so mad at Snape always trying to get us in trouble that I finally snapped and tried to scare the living shit out of him."  
  
"So, you're using me as the weapon in this scenario?" Remus tried to grasp this, tried to ignore the anger and hurt and confusion Sirius had stirred up.  
  
"No, you're not the weapon." Sirius shook his head and struggled to find a clearer way to describe his thoughts.  
  
James had warmed to the idea and, as usual, had intuitively understood Sirius' thought processes. "No, Remus. You're really the victim here. All of this takes place without your knowledge. But, now Dumbledore will know that Snape's discovered your secret. He'll have to ensure more protection for you from Snape. And we can make sure Dumbledore realizes how worried we are that Snape might tell. Sirius will get some sort of punishment-"  
  
"He'll get expelled!" Peter exclaimed.  
  
Sirius shook his head. "No, I don't think so. The school would have to provide a reason why to my parents. Even if they said something vague about my behavior, my parents would be up here in a flash screaming about it. Hogwarts couldn't very well say I was being expelled for sending Snape to meet a werewolf. That would jeopardize Remus for something he had no part of. Dumbledore wouldn't do that."  
  
"Right." James said. Thoughtfully, he summarized their thinking. "Sirius pitches a fit at Snape and impulsively shows him how to get into the tunnel. He mentions this to Peter and me. We see he's very angry, but we're also appalled at what might happen. We involve Dumbledore. Dumbledore punishes Sirius. But, he'll also make sure that Snape won't tell anyone about Moony, because none of this is Remus' fault. It's once again a Snape/Sirius thing." He nodded. "This could work."  
  
Peter piped up. "Maybe I could get Snape to follow me into the Willow, so it won't look so deliberate on Sirius' part."  
  
James was dismissive. "He'd never go for that. You're not as much of a challenge to him as Sirius is."  
  
Sirius added, "And you can't be the rescuer because Snape wouldn't trust you to carry it off."  
  
Remus was still worried about this whole idea, but he agreed with James and Sirius on this point. "Peter, they're right. Dashing to get Dumbledore would be seen by both Snape and Dumbledore as a very Peter-like thing to do."  
  
Peter gave up. None of the others noticed the flash of resentful anger in his eyes.  
  
They spent the rest of the evening perfecting their plan. But, despite all their preparations, Remus went to bed feeling very uneasy.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sirius lived with the Marauders Map for the days leading up to the full moon. Every time he saw Snape moving through the school alone, Sirius intercepted him, but made it look accidental. He used each encounter to rile Snape, but always with a hint of desperation in his attitude. He constantly brought Remus' name into their antagonistic conversations, acting both possessive and protective, angrily warning Snape to stay away from Remus. For his part, Snape was annoyed at Sirius' constant intrusions, but pleased that his handsome Gryffindor enemy was apparently rattled. It made him that much more eager to get his proof of Remus' lycanthropy.  
  
By the day of the full moon, the friction between the two was a spark away from exploding. As night fell, Sirius watched the Map. Finally, he saw Snape wandering outside the castle, searching for Remus. Sirius moved outside and waited for Snape around the corner of the building.  
  
As the lean Slytherin silently walked by, Sirius growled threateningly, "Out for an evening stroll?"  
  
Snape jumped. "Damn you, Black! Quit following me around!"  
  
"Can't help it, Sevvie. Someone's got to keep an eye on you."  
  
"Fuck off! You're shaking in your boots because you're worried about your little fuck toy, Lupin. Well, you should be."  
  
"Remus? I'm not worried about Remus. He can take care of himself. He can certainly take care of slithering, slimy snakes like you."  
  
"Is that why you like him so much, Black? Because he's such a brave, little Gryffindor slut?"  
  
"He's braver than you, certainly. He doesn't hide in the bushes from his enemies. You think you're so tough." Sirius spat in contempt. "You don't have the guts to take anyone on, unless you can attack them from ambush. You won't fight out in the open. No, that's too dangerous for young Snapey. Instead, you cloak yourself in your sneering contempt, because you don't have the balls to challenge anyone to their face."  
  
"As usual, you're blowing smoke, Black." Snape said in clipped tones, his hand twitching near his wand.  
  
Sirius tensed, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah? Then prove me wrong, Snape. Come with me and I'll show you where Remus is."  
  
"Are you sure that's wise, Siri?" Snape said with mock tenderness. "Can you trust your bitch alone with me?"  
  
Sirius started, as if he was smothering the desire to punch Snape's lights out. Then, with a sneer he turned and strode towards the Willow, Snape following in his footsteps. The newly risen moon lighted their way.  
  
Arriving at the Willow, Sirius grabbed a long branch lying on the ground and poked at the knot at the base of the tree. The branches froze and an entry way appeared. Sirius smirked at Snape. "Well, Sev? That's where he goes. Follow him, if you've got the guts." He turned and walked away, not glancing back. Turning the corner of the castle, Sirius pulled out the Map. Snape had disappeared. He had taken the bait.  
  
Sirius sprinted to where James and Peter waited. "He's in!" The three boys shot off in all directions to bring their plan to fruition.  
  
TBC 


	2. Chap 2

Note: Implied SB/RL slash.  
  
"Not another word out of any of you!" Dumbledore's voice carried raw power. That he had actually raised his voice was an indication of the depths of his anger. It was more than enough to quell the four teens standing in front of him. They were soon joined by Professors McGonagall and Faustus, the heads of Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses.  
  
Conjuring several additional chairs out of thin air, Dumbledore bade them all sit, the boys in a semi-circle in front of his desk and the Professors behind them.  
  
The Headmaster's icy expression seemed to lower the temperature in the entire room. "This is a very grave incident and I wanted the heads of your houses to be present. Professors, I will relay the bare bones of this story. Then I will question the boys to clear up any loose ends. Understood?"  
  
Every head in the room nodded.  
  
"Very well. Earlier this evening, Mr. Black, in a fit of anger, decided to inform Mr. Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow."  
  
"What!?" snapped Professor Faustus in alarm. Dumbledore raised his hand to silence any more outbursts.  
  
"Mr. Snape entered the tunnel and headed towards the Shrieking Shack. In the meantime, Mr. Black informed his friends here of what he had done. They immediately grasped the danger of the situation, so Mr. Pettigrew ran to inform me and Mr. Potter followed Mr. Snape. I arrived at the Willow in time to see Mr. Snape and Mr. Potter climbing out of the tunnel and a very agitated Mr. Black waiting for them."  
  
Dumbledore turned to Sirius. "Mr. Black, *did* you show Mr. Snape how to enter the tunnel?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Sirius fidgeted in his chair, anger and anxiety clearly at war in his body. "I was furious with him. He's been trailing after Remus for months, always needling him, taunting him. And, the last few days, every time I turned around I seemed to be running into Snape, like he was lurking around waiting for me. He'd drop these hints about Remus and me, our relationship, like it's any of his business. He would spew out all sorts of derogatory things. About Remus. It made me so angry that I wanted to-" Sirius closed his eyes, his hands gripping the arms of his chair. He heaved a calming sigh. "I finally decided it was time to put him in his place. I thought that he probably wouldn't have the nerve to go into the tunnel. But if he did, he 'd hear Remus howling before he got to the Shack, and turn around and come back."  
  
Professor Faustus cleared his throat. "Did I interpret you correctly, Mr. Black? Are you saying that you and Mr. Lupin have a romantic relationship?"  
  
Sirius turned in his chair to look the Potions Professor straight in the eye. "Yes, sir." Eyes gleaming like fire through ice stared at Faustus, waiting for further questions. There were none.  
  
Dumbledore continued his questioning. "So, Mr. Snape, the only reason you went into the tunnel was because Mr. Black challenged you?"  
  
Snape glared, his posture stiff with ill-concealed rage. "Yes, sir. He as good as called me a coward. I wasn't going to take that from anyone, especially from some poof Gryffindor!"  
  
  
  
"Stick to the story, Mr. Snape." Leaning back in his chair Dumbledore glanced at the Professors. "What happened when you got to the end of the tunnel and found yourself at the Shrieking Shack?"  
  
Snape, his eyes burning with fury, glowered fiercely at Sirius. He scowled right back. "I found the real Remus Lupin. The werewolf Lupin!"  
  
If he expected to shock anyone into speech, he was unsuccessful. "Continue, please," said Dumbledore. "Was the wolf in the tunnel?"  
  
"No. I found a trap door. I started opening it slowly, but then I heard someone yelling from back inside the tunnel. It was Potter, telling me to get away from the door. I ignored him and pushed the door again." He paused, and his pale skin went even whiter. "It was there. Right on the other side. Waiting. Waiting to attack me. I pushed the door open a bit and suddenly it was there, a huge wolf, snarling and slavering. It lunged at me, but Potter sent a sunburst spell at it, blinding it for a second. It jerked back a bit, so only its head was through the door. The beast struggled, trying to get its shoulders past the door. But, it was still close enough for its jaws to clamp onto my shoulder. It started pulling me through the door. Potter yanked back on my robes and I twisted free. I heard its fangs snap closed. It ripped through my sleeve-"  
  
"He!" Sirius suddenly jumped to his feet. "He! Not 'it!'"  
  
"Mr. Black!" Dumbledore warned loudly. Sirius sank back onto his chair, staring daggers at Snape.  
  
Severus leaned forward to look fully into Sirius' face. "You," he breathed in trembling fury. "You sent me to be murdered by your pet werewolf!"  
  
"Mr. Snape." Dumbledore firmly pushed Snape back to his narrative. "Why did you not attempt to stun or hex the werewolf?"  
  
After an odd pause Snape said, "My wand was in my pocket."  
  
"Rather a blasé way to approach a werewolf, surely?"  
  
Snape looked affronted. "I had no idea Lupin was a werewolf! Not until he attacked me. I used my wand to light my way through the tunnel. Then, when I was ready to open the trap door, I slipped it into my pocket for just a second, so I'd have both hands free."  
  
Dumbledore raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Really? Or was your wand in your pocket because you now had a camera in your hand to take a picture of the wolfish Mr. Lupin?" He pulled something from the pocket of his robe and laid it on the desk. It was a camera. Snape blanched. Dumbledore said gently, "You dropped it when you and Mr. Potter came out of the tunnel. Why did you have your camera with you?"  
  
"Out taking pictures of the full moon?" Sirius asked sarcastically.  
  
"Mr. Black, keep your thoughts to yourself! You are already up to your neck in trouble."  
  
"Yes, Black, just shut up!" Snape's fragile control finally snapped. "Alright, I knew! I figured it out! And I was going to get a picture of your monster! To show everyone and to get him thrown out! He's a...no, *it's* a beast! A filthy, dangerous beast!"  
  
"Silence!" Dumbledore commanded. No one present could remember him ever looking so wrathful. Snape hunched over in his seat, mumbling under his breath. Dumbledore's gaze slowly swept down the row of boys. He looked each teen in the eye for a long moment. Finally, he spoke in quiet but grim tones. "Mr. Pettigrew, you may return to your dorm room. You did nothing wrong tonight. Mr. Potter, neither did you. In fact, in all probability, you saved Mr. Snape's life."  
  
Dumbledore looked sternly at the Slytherin. "Mr. Snape, I have no doubt that you yourself could have used several spells to temporarily stun or distract the wolf and make your escape, had you not been so intent on exposing Mr. Lupin's lycanthropy. The decision to admit Mr. Lupin to Hogwarts was made long ago along with arrangements to protect both him and his fellow students during the full moon. And, until tonight, Mr. Lupin has not endangered anyone. Mr. Snape, I believe your actions were driven in part by your dislike of Mr. Lupin and Mr. Black, and the desire to harm both of them in some way."  
  
The old wizard stared at Snape, who sat unmoving. "I will not punish you for your actions tonight." Snape started, as if the idea of punishment came as a complete surprise. "However, I will do whatever I must to protect Mr. Lupin. He is the unwitting victim of tonight's events and I will not allow the animosity between you and Mr. Black to endanger him. Take heed, Mr. Snape. I know that Mr. Lupin's friends will never betray his secret because they realize what dire consequences would befall him. Therefore, if I discover even the trace of a rumor in this school that says Mr. Lupin is a werewolf, I will know it came from you. If that happens, I will expel you."  
  
"Expel me! On what grounds?"  
  
"I will not stand aside and permit you to ruin Mr. Lupin. I will not have you dictate school policy. I will not allow you to maliciously pry into the private affairs of other students. You are not the arbiter of the rules and regulations here, Mr. Snape. That position is already filled."  
  
His face red, Snape stared down at his feet. His heart lifted and the hint of a smile appeared on his face at the Headmaster's next words.  
  
"As for you, Mr. Black, my first inclination is to call for your expulsion from Hogwarts." James and Peter shot upright in their chairs, their eyes darting anxiously back and forth between Dumbledore's grave face and Sirius' expressionless mask. "However, I wish to discuss your case further with the Professors. Return here tomorrow at 8:00 A.M. and I will inform you of my decision."  
  
After the boys left in sullen silence, the three adults sat quietly, each pondering the evening's events. The Headmaster was the first to break the silence. "Ernst, do you think I've treated Severus unfairly?"  
  
Faustus frowned, which only served to increase the number and depth of his wrinkles. "I'd like to reserve the right to answer that question until you decide what punishment Mr. Black will receive. I certainly agree that Potter and Pettigrew acted correctly tonight and Mr. Lupin was the unknowing victim."  
  
Professor McGonagall spoke up. "Albus, I know I run the risk of being accused of House bias, but I don't think expulsion is the proper sentence for Mr. Black. Certainly he should be severely punished, but I think expulsion would be a dangerous path to take."  
  
"Why is that, Minerva?" Faustus asked, curious about her line of thought.  
  
"If anyone here thinks that expelling Sirius Black, breaking his wand and sending him home will cut short his magical career, then I'd have to believe you've been living in a cave for the past five and a half years. Mr. Black is a very determined young man, with more than his share of deviousness. He will certainly get his hands on a wand somehow, and will continue to use magic. We all know how bright he is, and he possesses power beyond his years. But, he also displays a dangerous impulsiveness that the school, unfortunately, has not always been able to restrain. He still needs guidance and training to handle his talents. I fear that there are very dark days ahead, and I would hate for us to lose someone with his undoubted, if somewhat uncontrolled attributes."  
  
"Yes, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "I also would hate to lose Sirius. And, indeed, if we cast him out, I agree, he would find a way to obtain a wand. Would he be welcomed by the dark forces that exist out there? Yes, certainly he would. Would he be tempted to join them? I don't think so, but if we make him an outcast."  
  
The Headmaster's ice blue eyes hardened. "However, he has committed a grievously dangerous act. He sent Mr. Snape into that tunnel, knowing full well that a werewolf waited at the end of it. Not only did he put Severus in danger, he also inadvertently risked Mr. Potter as well. And, how do you think Mr. Lupin will feel about this tomorrow? He will discover that he could have been responsible for the injury or death of two people. And he will find out that Sirius was the one who placed those people in danger."  
  
Dumbledore fell silent. The only sound in the room was a slight rustling from the phoenix, Fawkes, shifting on his perch. Professor Faustus finally spoke. "Albus, I'm inclined to agree with Minerva. I believe that expulsion is not the proper punishment for the reasons she's outlined and also for this. Expulsion sends Mr. Black away, effectively removing him from any fall-out from his fellow students over his actions. I'd say keep him here, but levy a heavy punishment on him. I'm sorry, Minerva, but his House has to pay. Then Mr. Black will not only have to deal with the knowledge of what he's done, but will also have to deal with his housemates, who, I'm sure, will be very angry with him."  
  
Dumbledore had been watching this exchange with keen interest. "Minerva, did you know that Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin were.ah.an item?"  
  
She shook her head, her surprise at Sirius' admission still evident.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Well, that puts another wrinkle in this situation and gives me one other reason for keeping Sirius here. Lycanthropes mate for life. If Mr. Lupin is in love and not merely in the throes of teenage hormones, then that means he has chosen his life-mate. And if that's the case, sending Sirius away would be a terrible burden for Remus."  
  
The Headmaster rose and paced over to look out his window. The Professors exchanged glances, sensing that Dumbledore was about to render his decision.  
  
"Very well." The Headmaster said briskly, turning to face them. "This is the punishment for Mr. Black. Loss of 500 house points. Dismissal from the Gryffindor Quidditch team for the rest of his tenure here." McGonagall swallowed audibly. "I will simply announce that Mr. Black played a prank on a fellow student that went way beyond the bounds of appropriate behavior. He must remain silent on the matter and offer no further explanations. He must also go to Remus Lupin tomorrow and admit to his actions. Remus can decide for himself how he wants to treat Mr. Black."  
  
"Albus," Faustus interrupted with a worried tone. "I'm concerned by your use of the word 'prank.' The connotation is much too innocent, too child- like. Mr. Black knew the risks when he showed Severus how to enter the tunnel. If we look at this from Severus' point of view, calling it a prank trivializes the danger he was in and totally ignores his feelings in this matter."  
  
Dumbledore thought for a moment, one hand stroking his beard. "I fear, Ernst, that if we give any more weight to our description of these events, it will only cause greater uproar among the student body. I'd prefer that this die down as quickly as possible, for Mr. Lupin's sake. I will have Mr. Black apologize to Mr. Snape.  
  
Faustus snorted. "I doubt that Severus will believe him."  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Probably not."  
  
"What will you tell Sirius' parents?" Minerva asked.  
  
"I will tell them that his actions placed two students in grave danger. I will also tell them that a third student was unknowingly involved in this, and, as this student needs some protection, no more information will be forthcoming. Sirius can deal with his parents as he sees fit, but, again, with the condition that he must keep Mr. Lupin's condition secret."  
  
Now that he had made his decision, Dumbledore looked much more like his normal self. His tone almost genial, he asked, "Is there anything else either of you would like to add?"  
  
"Let me answer your original question, Albus," said Faustus. "In view of the punishment you're giving Mr. Black, I don't think Mr. Snape has been treated unfairly. He suffers no punishment unless he opens his mouth about Mr. Lupin. However, I doubt he will see it that way right now. Perhaps when some time has passed, he'll realize that Mr. Black's intention was to scare him, not do him physical harm. But, I have my doubts. Severus is not one to let go of a grudge easily. I'm afraid the relationship between him and Mr. Black is nothing short of toxic at this point, and I don't foresee any change for the better."  
  
"We'll have to keep our eyes on both of them." Dumbledore came forward to escort his guests to the door. "Let's call it a night."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
His entire body thrummed with pain. Remus opened his eyes in the cold dawn light. He smelled blood. Moving slightly, he felt a ripping sensation along his body where it touched the floor. He realized it was his skin peeling away from the puddles of dried blood beneath him. He barely had the strength to cover himself with his robes before blackness engulfed him.  
  
When he woke again, he was in the comfortable confines of the Hospital. He ached all over. Without the presence of the three Animagi, his transformation had been brutal. Moony had been confused by the loss of his pack. The confusion had rapidly turned to thwarted fury because he had been unable to attack the humans he smelled. He had seen them, had seen humans at the trap door. In his frenzy, he had almost succeeded in capturing one. His prey had been in his jaws, only to wriggle away. He had shrieked his fury as the door banged down, keeping him captive. The preys' yells and shouts had only served to fire his bloodlust. He had hurled himself against barriers. Against doors and walls. And, finally, in manic frustration, he had bitten himself.  
  
Remus squeezed his eyes shut, determined to push away the nausea at what had almost happened. James and Snape should never have been that close. His greatest fears almost came true last night.  
  
"Remus?" asked a soft voice.  
  
Opening his eyes, he saw Sirius sitting on a chair next to the bed. His eyes were as cloudy as a stormy sea. The skin under them was dark with sleeplessness. His smile was sickly and he was pale as death. "We did it. You're safe."  
  
"What's wrong?" Remus rasped. Even his throat hurt. Focusing again on the pale face near him he could see that Sirius didn't look at all well. "What happened? Why did Snape almost get through the trap door?"  
  
Quietly Sirius told him. "Snape *ran* through the tunnel, he was so eager to get proof about you. He had a camera. He dropped it when James hauled him out of the tunnel. Peter saw it and handed it over to Dumbledore."  
  
"Dumbledore brought us all to his office. I told him I never expected Snape to actually go into the tunnel, and that, if he did, he'd run right back out once he heard Moony. Snape was beyond livid. He insisted that I was trying to use you to murder him. You should have seen him, Remus. He was practically foaming at the mouth, raging at me like a crazy person." Sirius smiled without a trace of amusement. He looked defeated in spite of their victory.  
  
"Dumbledore told him that, although he was out of bounds and seeking to ruin you, he wouldn't be punished. However, if your secret is revealed, Dumbledore will assume that either Snape blabbed or he fed enough information to someone else so that they could spill the beans. In either case, Snape will be expelled."  
  
Remus felt a flood of relief. Snape would never risk expulsion. "And you, Sirius? What did Dumbledore do to you?"  
  
"I just came from his office. He said last night that he wanted to think about what to do with me but that he was seriously considering expulsion." Remus started in shock.  
  
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know what changed his mind, but he's letting me stay. He's taking 500 points from Gryffindor. I'm off the Quidditch team. And, he's going to give only a bare minimum explanation about what I did to deserve this. I'll have to face everyone in Gryffindor without saying a word about it. I'll just have to take their anger. And, he also decided I'd have to tell you face-to-face what I did last night. I'm sure he thought that would be the worst punishment, having to sit here and tell you I betrayed you."  
  
Sirius' eyes dropped to the floor, as if he was incapable of meeting Remus' gaze. "He's right. If you hadn't known about this, and it happened anyway, I don't know how I would have been able to tell you. And, somehow, even though we were all in on it, I still feel that I betrayed you."  
  
Remus realized that Sirius would have a hard time facing the Gryffindors' anger day after day. And his parents would be deeply troubled by this event. But Remus still had that niggling unease in the pit of his stomach. Something of it showed on his face.  
  
"Remus, are you angry with me? It was worth it, wasn't it? To get Snape to back off?"  
  
"No, I'm not angry. And yes, I guess it was worth it. But.I'm upset over how close...Moony wanted them so much.You know how much that scares me." His eyes squeezed shut and a shudder rippled through his body.  
  
"Remus, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't think Snape would go tearing through the tunnel so quickly."  
  
Remus lay silently, eyes still closed. He whispered, " I could have killed them or."  
  
"But you didn't! No one got hurt, except you. That's my fault, and I'm sorry.Not just for the physical hurt, but for the emotional one, too." Worried at the lack of response, Sirius reached out and grabbed Remus' limp hand. The weary hazel eyes opened to pin Sirius with a look full of such heartbreaking reproach that he got a sudden, horrible vertigo, fearing that he had replaced Snape as Remus' destroyer.  
  
"Remus, you're not at fault. You're innocent. I'm the one to blame."  
  
He received no response. In mounting desperation, Sirius dropped to his knees next to the bed, clutching Remus' hand tight to his chest. "Blame it on me. Get angry with me, yell at me, hit me.but, please, love, don't shut me out. Don't force me away.Please forgive me."  
  
Remus drew in a deep breath, all the while wondering how they had arrived in this barren, desolate wasteland. "This whole plan.It revealed a part of you that.There was something frightening about you, Sirius. When you pulled this plan together, you showed a.a ruthlessness that I've never seen before. The way you outlined everyone's task and set this up was so.cold and calculating. Something bothered me about it and now I realize it was as if you weren't dealing with people. With your friends, your lover. You used us like inanimate tools. I almost believe that designing the perfect plot against Snape became more important than shielding me. That hurts, Sirius. "  
  
The wounded confusion that flooded Sirius' face tore at Remus' heart. "I didn't do this for my own amusement! I did it for you, Remus! I did it to protect you!"  
  
Remus couldn't deal with much more. He knew he wasn't being completely fair, but his feelings were still too raw, as if his skin had been ripped back, exposing all his nerves to the elements. "I know. It's just something that I have to think about. It.surprised me, that's all." Remus closed his eyes once more, not wanting to face his lover's pain. Eventually, he felt Sirius let go of his hand, and hear the rustle of his robes as he stood up.  
  
"My, my, my. Things don't always come out like you plan, do they?" Sirius said softly, hating himself for hurting Remus in his efforts to protect him. "You know, maybe I shouldn't have argued with the Sorting Hat."  
  
Remus looked up at that, puzzled. Sirius smiled bitterly. "The Hat originally wanted to sort me into Slytherin. I guess there's more than a little ruthlessness in me."  
  
Remus' shifted uncomfortably, knowing in his heart that their understanding of each other had changed irrevocably.  
  
Sirius looked down at him, struggling to hide his emotions. "I should let you get some rest." But, then, uncertainly, against his better judgment, his heart compelled him to add, "Unless you want me to stay."  
  
And, Sirius felt it crack when Remus replied, "No, it's best if you leave now."  
  
He walked away, tall and lithe and graceful, but with a defeated droop to his shoulders. Remus watched him go.  
  
END 


End file.
